Modular partition

ABSTRACT

A modular partition includes a compartment frame located beneath a lower horizontal strut of the partition. The compartment frame has a vertical wall and side flanges extended from the vertical wall to form separate cable shelves for holding cables inside in an organized fashion to avoid interference. The compartment frame further has two side panels each is pivotally engaged with a bulged flange formed at the upper section of the compartment frame so that the side panels may be opened or closed easily to facilitate cable laying and rearrangement. A plurality of fastening elements are provided to fasten the compartment frame with the partition struts securely.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a modular partition and particularly apartition that may be assembled, disassembled and laying cables rapidly,and has separated cable shelves to facilitate cable arrangement.

[0002] Conventional partitions now being commonly used (referring toFIG. 1) are mostly designed for fast construction and replacement. Theyusually have partition panels bordered by vertical curve-shaped sideframes to engage with curve-shapes slots of adjacent partition panels.The assembly usually is time-consuming and troublesome. Fabrication ofthe partition panels and frames are also tedious. For instance, theengagement of vertical and horizontal frames need separated fasteningelements which are difficult to use and not very strong even afterfastened. The cable compartment has two opposite U-shaped channels toslidably engage with two extended edges of a stepwise side panel. Thecable compartment has no organizing features and often results inchaotic cable laying and even cause interference among the cables. Whenthere is a need for cables rearrangement, the side panel is difficult toremove and assemble. All this begs for improvement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In view of the forgoing disadvantages, it is therefore an objectof this invention to provide an improved partition that has modularpartition struts and panels which may be assembled and disassembledrapidly with less labor. A novel compartment frame is provided below thelower partition strut that has separated cable shelves to enable cablesbe laid and organized neatly and easily without interference. Thecompartment frame further has snap type side panels at both sides thatmay be opened or closed easily to facilitate cable laying andarrangement. A novel fastening element is provided to make fastening ofvertical and horizontal partition struts easily and securely.

[0004] In one aspect, the compartment frame of this invention has sideflanges extended sideward at two sides to divide the compartment frameinto a plurality of cable shelves for laying cables in a organizedfashion whereby to make cable arrangement and maintenance much easierand also help to eliminate interference between the cables. Thecompartment frame has side panels each has a fastening slot which maypivotally engage with a bulged flange of a top channel to facilitateopening and closing of the side panels. This also helps to make cablerearrangement easier. The fastening element has screw bores andspherical bulged head which may be flexibly adapted to engage with otherpartition members conveniently.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The invention, as well as its many advantages, may be furtherunderstood by the following detailed description and drawings, in which:

[0006]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a conventional partition, includinga cable compartment at the bottom.

[0007]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of this invention.

[0008]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bottom compartment frame of thisinvention.

[0009]FIG. 4 is a perspective of this invention, after assembly.

[0010]FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a bottom compartment frame of thisinvention in use, with cables laid inside.

[0011]FIG. 6 is a sectional view according the FIG. 5, with one sidepanel opened.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0012] Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the modular partition according tothis invention includes vertical struts 41 and 42 of a verticalpartition border 4, horizontal struts 51 and 52 of a horizontalpartition border 5, a compartment frame 1 located beneath the lowerhorizontal strut 51 and two side panels 2 for the compartment frame 1.

[0013] The compartment frame 1 includes a top channel 10 which has afastening trough 100 with a plurality of screw bores 101 formed therein,two bulged flanges 11 extended outward at two lateral sides, a verticalwall 12, a base channel 13 located at the bottom end of the verticalwall 12 and an adjust screw 13 engaged with the base channel 13. Thescrew bores 101 may engage with the screw apertures formed at two endsof a fastening element 103 which has a spherical bulged head 102extended from the center thereof for engaging with a neighboringpartition panel. Each bulged flange 11 may pivotally engage with afastening slot 200 formed at a connect portion 20 of the side panel 2.The vertical wall 12 has side flanges 120 extended outward and tiltedslightly upward to form cable shelves for holding cables. The basechannel 13 has two latch flanges 130 extended sideward for snapping andengaging respectively with a snap lug 21 formed on the side panel 2. Theadjust screw 14 may adjust the horizontal level of the compartment frame1.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 4 and 5, when this invention is assembled, thefastening element 103 is disposed at the joint section of the fasteningtrough 100 to fasten two adjacent compartment frames 1 securely. Thenplace the lower horizontal strut 52 on the top channel 10 over thefastening trough 100 to erect the partition panel above the compartmentframe 1. Then dispose the fastening element 103 on the lower horizontalstrut 52. Thereafter, place an upper panel 6 which has a bottom trough60 over the upper horizontal strut 51 to make the partition panelmounting on the compartment frame 1 firmly and securely.

[0015] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the side panel 2 may be pivotallyopened about the bulged flange 11 for laying or rearranging cables 3 onthe cable shelves formed by the vertical wall 12 and side flanges 120.The side panel 2 may be closed by engaging the snap lug 21 with thelatch flange 130 formed at the base channel 13. As shown in the figures,there are a plurality of cable shelves formed in the compartment frame 1whereby to enable the cables 3 be held therein neatly in an organizedway. This not only makes cable wiring and arrangement easier, it alsohelps to eliminate or reduce interference among the cables that mightotherwise happen.

[0016] In summary, this invention has the following advantages:

[0017] 1. The compartment frame at the lower portion of the partitionhas a plurality of separate cable shelves at both sides and a side panelat either side to cover the cable shelves. Cable wiring and arrangementmay be done neatly in an organized manner rapidly. It also helps toreduce interference among the cables.

[0018] 2. Because of the novel features and construction of thisinvention, the partition struts and panels may be mounted and fixed onthe compartment frame easily and securely. The side panel of thecompartment frame may be pivotally opened and closed easily for cablewiring and arrangement. It is particularly helpful and may save a lot ofcost in the modern office environments where office remodeling takesplace frequently because of dynamic business and technology changes.

What is claimed is:
 1. A modular partition, comprising: a partitionpanel bordered by two vertical struts, a lower horizontal strut and anupper horizontal strut; a compartment frame located beneath the lowerhorizontal strut including a top channel, a vertical wall extendeddownward from the top channel, a base channel located below the verticalwall and an adjust screw engaged with a bottom wall of the base channel;the top channel having a fastening trough which has a plurality screwbores formed therein and two bulged flanges extended outward from twoopposite sides thereof, the vertical wall having side flanges extendedsideward at two opposite sides thereof and being tilted slightly upwardfor forming cables shelves to hold cables therein, the base channelhaving two latch flanges extended outward at two opposite sides thereof;at least one fastening element having a spherical bulged head located atthe center thereof and two screw apertures formed at two ends thereoffor engaging with the screw bores of the top channel; an upper panelhaving a bottom trough mounted on the upper horizontal strut; and twoside panels each having a fastening slot located a connect portionthereof for pivotally engaging with the bulged flange of the top channeland a snap lug engageable with the latch flange of the base channel;wherein the fastening element is capable of engaging two adjacentcompartment frames for forming a firm and sturdy partition, and the sidepanel is capable of pivotally opening from or closing to the compartmentframe at either side for laying cables in the cable shelves withoutinterference among the cables.